In Sakartvele, tens of thousands of people celebrate the decision to grant EU candidate status

At a summit in Brussels, European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to grant Sakartvel long-awaited official candidate status and start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

Cheering crowds flooded Tbilisi’s central Freedom Square, waving Sakartveli and EU flags, an AFP journalist at the scene said.

“I congratulate you on this historic event. Long live a united, strong, European Sakartvel!” Prime Minister Iraklis Garibashvili addressed the crowd.

VIDEO: “We’ve waited a long time for this day”: Joy on the streets of Tbilisi over the decision to grant EU candidate status

The orchestra performed the Sakartveli national anthem and the EU’s Ode to Joy.

President Salome Zurabishvili, who is at odds with the ruling Sakartveli Dream party, was not invited to the podium, underscoring the country’s deep political divisions.

The president stood in the crowd during Friday’s event.

“It’s a big celebration,” she told reporters. “We have taken a very important step towards the EU.”

Sakartvel, Moldova and Ukraine applied to join the 27-nation bloc after the Kremlin launched a full-scale war in Ukraine last year.

At the time, the EU granted candidate status to Kyiv and Chisinau, but called on Tbilisi to first reform the judicial and electoral systems, reduce political polarization, improve press freedom and limit the power of oligarchs.

In November, the European Commission recommended that EU leaders grant Sakartveli the official status of the country’s candidate, but on the condition that Tbilisi undertakes reforms.

EU membership is enshrined in Sakartvel’s constitution, and according to public opinion polls, EU membership is supported by about 80 percent. population.